Ph.D - Little Susie's On The Up

What this video is

This video occupies a singular position in music video history: as the fifth clip broadcast on MTV on its launch day of 1 August 1981, it was among the founding texts of an entirely new audiovisual medium. Ph.D. — a British trio comprising Jim Diamond (vocals/guitar), Tony Hymas (keyboards), and Simon Phillips (drums), all seasoned session and touring musicians — brought a polished yet unpretentious New Wave pop…

Why it matters

As a foundational MTV broadcast artefact, 'Little Susie's On The Up' is significant not merely as a British New Wave single but as primary evidence of the aesthetic grammar of the very first generation of purpose-built promotional music videos. Its moderate pace, theatrical-comic performance…